Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-05-19
WASHINGTON LETTER



ed for the uses to which Il was applied
by the Society of the Army of tho Cum
berland. 1t had been holding its
eighteenth annual reunion In this city
and yesterday had been set apart for
unwilling the statue of Gen. Garfield,
erected by his old comrades In arms.
The sun SMILED. the sky was blue, the
air fresh and balmy the flowers bloom
ed, the tress shaded. and all nature
seemed to cooperate TO render the oc-
casion successful. The streets were
thronged with people who wanted to
see the parade. as many as could get
within sight of the unwilling were
there, and Department clerks were re
leased at noon. so that those who wish
ed to join the procession might do so.
The scenes in the vicinity of the Ar
lington hotel where the parade formed
were interesting and reminded one
forcibly of by-gonc times. The aides
to the marshal of the day and the
members of the historic Garfield
Guard of honor and of the Army of
the Cumberland met in front of the
hotel, where the officers of the pro-
cession were dashing about to the
strains Of martial music and the notes
of brass bands. The great hotel was
thronged with men, many of whose
names are household words in this
country for the deeds they did in those
bitter days of war; Generals, Sher-
man, Rosecrans, Buell., Sheridan, Kei-
fer, Cist, Fullerton, Baird, Bob Gran
ger and a host OF others as gallant. If
not as well known, hob-nobbed and
guyed each other there like lot OF
school-boys.
Gen. Baird, the inspector-general of
the army-or the preux Chevalier Bay
ard of the army-was resplendent in
the full uniform of his rank, but he
was too modest to take advantage of
that statute which would permit him |
TO wear the full uniform on such an
occasion as this.
The statue was completely draped |
in a national banner loosely enfolding |
the figure and trailing TO tho granite
ba4e. Around the statue stood Mill
tary guard and squad of police. To
the south of the statue was the grand
stand" on which was the orators stand
and the seats of honor. At the close
Of the opening prayer the marine
band played the "Star Spangled Ban
ner." AS the lat notes died away the
the halyard's were drawn by the guard
and the flag dropped from the statue.
Then the troops gathered around the
circle and gave a military salute. the
light battery in the Capitol grounds
rang out with the national salute and
he Marine Band struck up the stirring
strains of Hail to the Chief"
The scene was one long to be remem-
oered. The statue was suddenly
under the direct rays of
he sun and afforded q striking con-
,rast to the more conventional types
If many of the memorials to the pub
ic men in this city. The trees in the
Capitol grounds furnished beautiful
the statue was surround
ID by the red coated band and the
'adiating circles of military, the
horoughfares approaching the statue
we're frightened by the ranks, of sol
liery, and oil available space was
crowded by sight-seers. Facing the
tatue was the fiag-draped stand with
is company of distinguished people,
Who arose to their feet in compliment
o the occasion.
AT its centre. in little bower of
palms, stood the President and Gener-
Il Sheridan. Behind them was a
group of ladies of which Mrs. Cleve-
and was the center. To her right and
eft were ladies of the Cabinet and
thCui Iue istOltS VI Tic
eading men present, I'm bright toilets
Cabinet and ex-Cabinet officers, the
sculptor. the sons of Garfield, the
Supreme Court, Gen. Sherman, Mr..
Corcoran and others.
When the enthusiasm of the mo-
nent of the unwilling had subsidized
md the saluting cannon had ceased,
zen. Sheridan stepped forward and in
reduced Gen. Keifer, the speaker of
he day. After delivering his grafton,
he latter, in a few words turned over
he statue to Gen. Sheridan, and the
Lieutenant General, addressing the
president extemperaneously, asked
him, as the representative of the Amer
can people to accept the statue as
gift to the Nation from the Society of
he Army of the Cumberland. APP
plause followed this and the Presi-
1ent's address of acceptance closed
the ceremonies.